Law Chi-kwong Defends Eased Curbs, Subsidy Scheme

Another top government official has defended the administration's decision to partially relax social-distancing measures amid misgivings by sectors that would remain closed.

The Labour and Welfare Secretary, Law Chi-kwong, said on Thursday the government had considered whether activities involved in some venues are essential and require masks to be removed, in deciding which types of businesses can reopen first.

Cinemas, beauty parlours and some outdoor sports venues are set to reopen on Friday, and dine-in hours at restaurants will be extended till 9pm. But operators of gyms and bars, for example, have complained about being excluded, warning that they're about to shut down and sack staff because of the shutdown.

Speaking to an RTHK radio programme, Law said it was still too risky to open indoor venues like gyms.

"Unless you have strong winds within indoor gyms, otherwise the risk... because some people really have to take off their mask from time to time to breathe... then the infection control will be more difficult, so to speak," he said.

"So it's a matter of degree. If you consider the restaurant thing and you definitely know that [for] people in Hong Kong, eating out is so much part of the social fabric and daily life of people in Hong Kong, so to speak. We have to consider both the economy, the social aspect and also the health aspect."

The welfare chief also defended the Employment Support Scheme (ESS), which is part of the government's epidemic relief fund to help workers keep their jobs. There have been complaints that the scheme pays the employers, but not the workers directly.

Law said Hong Kong doesn't have the systems to allow quick payments to the unemployed directly.

He also played down suggestions that the ESS is prone to abuse.

"Let's say you're a restaurant employer. You actually have your restaurant closed for a month's time, you don't have any business at all. Now the government is giving you something around 50 percent of the salary. Can you still ask all your employees come back to a closed restaurant? Even the money given by the government will not be even enough to pay them full pay, so it really depends on the state of the business," he said.

But he acknowledged that the government has received complaints about the subsidy scheme, and said it will look into them to determine if there is abuse.

Law also said that the government was working on getting Legco's approval in rolling out another round of relief funds to help save jobs.

The government formally gazetted its changes on Thursday morning, and the eased restrictions will last for seven days from Friday.

Certain curbs remain. For restaurants, they can operate at only 50 percent capacity and have no more than two people per table. Cinemas, meanwhile, will have to comply with regulations such as filling theatres at half capacity, no eating or drinking during films, and disinfecting the venue after each screening.

The vice chairman of the Hong Kong Theatres Association, Chui Hin-wai, welcome the relaxed measures, saying that online ticket sales for films have been satisfactory and people were "hungry" for the movie-going experience.

The chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Beauty Industry, Nelson Yip, said the sector will abide by social-distancing measures such as having staff wear protective gear, only serving clients who have made appointments, and disinfecting and cleaning facilities between appointments.

Venues like gyms, party rooms and clubs are still not allowed to reopen, and the ban on gatherings of more than two people is still in place.